The purpose of the Partnership Officer is to support the application of a cross-sector, comprehensive access and partnership approach for programming in Sudan to strengthen NRC’s ability to access to vulnerable populations affected by conflict and displacement.

The Partnership Officer’s core role is to support the identification and capacity development of local partner to enable them to more effectively respond to the needs of displaced and vulnerable communities. The Partnership Officer’s role will be to work with partners to assess their existing capacity, develop capacity strengthening plans and support their coaching and training.

Generic responsibilities

• Ensure compliance to NRC policies, guidance and procedures and consideration of NRC global and regional strategies when executing functions related to this role.
• Support partner’s adherence to the NRC policies, tools, handbooks, and guidelines; provide compliance spot-check/audit support.
• Provide support to project staff and implementing partners involved in NRC activities;
• Liaise with peer organisations and staff in partner agencies to facilitate information sharing and coordination
• Prepare and files accurate records of activities and ensures all information is accurate and available in time.

Specific responsibilities 

• Maintain strong relationships with existing partners, ensuring effective communication and collaboration.
• Support in organizing meetings, follow-ups with partners for mutually beneficial NRC engagement.
• Conduct regular field visits; provide coaching and mentoring to partners’ staff and field staff as needed.
• Follow up on the Local partners weekly reporting.
• Provide periodic orientation to partners’ staff on compliance requirements.
• Assist in planning and delivering capacity-sharing trainings, including participant coordination.
• Manage administrative arrangements for trainings and workshops (venue, accommodation, transport).
• Provide technical support for online and in-person training events.
• Assist in the partner selection process by drafting EoIs and performing initial assessments.
• Maintain and update tracking tools and templates for effective partnership management.
• Provide translation support for partner reports and documents for donor reporting.
• Maintain the filing system for partnership documents and track Partnership Agreements.
• Support the due diligence process, including capacity checks, COTER checks, and reference checks.
• Monitor partner compliance with NRC policies, tools, and guidelines; propose initiatives to bridge gaps.

Critical interfaces

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

• Finance, Logistics, Head of Support, Area Managers, Cc Specialists/ PDMs, Advocacy and Media team, M&E, Project Manager;
• Project or Grant focal points in other partner organisations;
• Local partners

Professional competencies 

Generic professional competencies for this position: 

• Minimum 3 years of experience of relevant experience in a related field, including in partnerships and civil society strengthening.
• Above average computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Windows Word and Excel.
• Proven ability to work effectively with national and local civil society organizations required.
• Good understanding of donor regulations and grants management (e.g. with institutional humanitarian and development donors);
• Strong personal organisational skills, analytical thinking for strategy development.
• Willingness to travel to field offices and work in difficult environment according to travel requirements.

Context related skills, knowledge, and experience:

• Good cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Knowledge of the NGO operations and the dynamics of the humanitarian sector.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Arabic.
• Planning across multiple activities and complex projects.
• Demonstrated experience in learning and evaluation and program development.
• Experience in capacity-sharing and community-based programming.
• Experience in coordinating activities and liaising with external actors.

Behavioural competencies 

These are personal qualities that influence how successful people are in their job. NRC’s Competency Framework states 12 behavioural competencies and the following are essential for this position:

• Planning and delivering results
• Working with people
• Communicating with impact and respect
• Strategic thinking
• Initiating action and change